I couldn't disagree with ManoWar2 more. I love it, and think it is the best of the series, and I have been playing since Civ 1 was first released.
If you only played 2 times, perhaps you missed some of the nuances of the game.
I'm not looking for a long drawn out discussion or debate. I am just saying I personally am very happy with the game, have played all in the series heavily, and for that matter, graduated in with a degree in history. Just because the game is not completely historically accurate does not mean its not fun, at least for me.
Tony